BAKU TO HOST FOUNDING CONGRESS OF THE TURKIC UNION OF COMPOSERS (TUC)
On 18-20 September 2026, the First Congress of Composers of the Turkic World will be held in Baku as part of the 18th Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival. The Congress is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, jointly with ICESCO Baku Regional Office, the Union of Composers of Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijan National Conservatory.
The Congress is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Baku Turkological Congress, the 885th anniversary of Nizami Ganjavi, and the 585th anniversary of Alisher Navoi.
Prominent representatives of the music communities of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Hungary will take part in the Congress.
The extensive programme of the Congress will bring together institutional, academic, and concert activities. Over the course of three days, it will feature plenary and constituent sessions, an international round table, thematic exhibitions, as well as concerts of symphonic, chamber, and traditional music.
The key event of the Congress will be the establishment of the Turkic Union of Composers (TUC), which is intended to bring together leading composers, musicologists, performers, and representatives of major music organizations from Turkic countries.
On 19 September, a constituent meeting of the Turkic Union of Composers will be held at the headquarters of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation. The meeting is expected to include the signing of the Baku Declaration on the Establishment of TUC, as well as discussions on the draft Charter of the new international professional platform.
The establishment of the Union will be an important step towards strengthening professional ties among the music communities of the Turkic world. Particular attention will be given to the preservation and development of the shared musical heritage, support for contemporary schools of composition, creative exchange, and the promotion of Turkic music on the international stage.
On 19 September 2026 at 16:00, a press conference will be held at the headquarters of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation to present the outcomes of the Congress of Composers of the Turkic World, the establishment of the Turkic Union of Composers (TUC), the signing of the Baku Declaration, and the prospects for the development of the new professional association.